Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!snorkelwacker!apple!austing
From: austing@Apple.COM (Glenn L. Austin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: Re: SimCity on FX
Message-ID: <43739@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 8 Aug 90 02:18:42 GMT
References: <8ah_hci00UjHM1E_xK@andrew.cmu.edu> <43487@apple.Apple.COM> <13323@yunexus.YorkU.CA>
Organization: Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, CA
Lines: 41

pmcd@yunexus.yorku.ca (Phil McDunnough) writes:

>In article <43487@apple.Apple.COM> I wrote:
>>The problem is that SimCity is not compatible with 32-bit QuickDraw.  Guess
>>what's in the ROMs of the IIci and IIfx.  You're right.  32-bit QuickDraw.
>>So until they (and Broderbund) fix their software to work with 32-bit QD, 
>>you won't be able to play it on your IIfx.

>Is that the only problem with the fx? I thought the floppy drive had
>problems with certain types of copy protection?

If the copy protection requires direct access to the IWM/SIWM chip, you're
correct.  The disk controller is not accessable directly, although there is
a new .Sony device control call to read data from the disk directly.

>Regarding the ci, doesn't the way memory is allocated affect certain
>games?

As long as the games use the Memory Manager, there should be no problems.  The
only problems show up when you have smaller SIMMs (in RAM size) in bank A than
you do in bank B.  If you have the larger SIMMs in bank A, the memory map is
the same as it is on any other II-class machine.

>If the problems are all 32 bit Quickdraw(in ROM), is there no way to
>override the loading of it, and just use ordinary Quickdraw?

I've thought a lot about this one, but I haven't had time to tear apart the
ROM code for 32-bit-QD-in-ROM.  It may be one of those "total rewrite" type
of deals where rewriting software to work with 32-bit QD is quicker and
easier than writing Color QD for the IIci/IIfx.

-- 
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| Glenn L. Austin               | "Turn too soon, run out of room,          | 
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